Draft-rigging.



M. A. OCONNOR.

DRAFT RIGGING.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 4, 1909.

Patented Nov. 18, 1913.

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/l/' ATTORNEYS M. A. OGONNOR.

DRAFT RIGGINGA APPLIUATION FILED FEB. 4. 1909.

1,079,060, Patented Nov. 18,1913

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WITNESSES IN VEN TOR MM5?. A l Magny,

/ ATTORNEYS itiftilflll@ fllllil te onirica.,

MARTIN A. OCONNOR, OF B'UFALO, .NEW YRK, ASSIGNR TO YV. H. MINERCOMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATON OF ILLINOIS.

Specification of Application filed February 4, 1909.

To all 'whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, Maurin A. (YCoNNon, a citizen of the United States,residing in the city of Buffalo, in the county of .llrie and State ofNew York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Draft-ltigging,of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to friction draft rigging for railway ears.

r he object `of my invention is Ato provide a friction draft rigging, ofa strong, simple, efficient 'and durable construction of` hin'hcushinning, capacity,an d which will at the same time have a perfect,certain and reliable release action, and avoid all danger of thefriction devices sticking or failing to properly release.

My invention consists in the means l enr ploy to practically accmnplishthis result. That is to say, it consists in connection with the couplerdrawbar, d aft yolie, draft lugs or stop castings, followers, spring andcoact-4 ing friction members, preferably a longitudinally movablefriet-ion shell or case and a plurality of longiturflinally movablefriction shoes within the case, and a coi'iiwrating compound wedge orspreader device coniprising a blunt wedge member abuttingl against oneof the 'followers to insure a perfect, certain and reliable releaseaction, and prevent `possibility of the friction devices sticking, andan acute wedge member haw ing a plurality of collapsible segments, eachhaving an acute wedge face engaging the corresponding acute wedge faceot' the friction shoe, and a blunt wedge face engaging the correspondingface of the blunt .wedge member, the acute wedge member servingr to givethe draft rigging a very high cushioning capacity, owing to the small'angle of the wedge faces thereof which engage with the friction shoes,without in any way interu fering with the release movement.

The invention further consists in a blunt wedge member of pyramidalform, prefen ably four lsided, in connection with a segmentaly orcollapsible secondary wedge member comprising as many segments as thereare sides to the blunt 4pyramidal wedge, and each segment furnished witha plurality of wedge faces engaging two adjacent friction shoes to Wedgesuch shoes apart and multiply, compound or increasr he pressure of iLena-s vom. rammed am. 1e, 191e.

Serial No. 475,969.

the shoes against the surrounding friction shell.

My invention further consists in the novel construction of parts anddevices, and in, the novel combinations of parts and devices hereinshown and described, and more particularly specified in the claims.

ln the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, Figurel is a sido elevation partly in central, vertical longitudinal sectionembodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view partly in horizontalsection. Fig. 3 is a cross section on line 33 of Fig'. l. Fig. lf; is adetail cross section of the friction shell on line 4.4 of Fig'. l. Fig.5 is a detail perspective viewy of one of the friction slmes. Fig. (i isa detail perspetaive view of the blunt pyrumidal wedge lnen'iber. l`igsi' and 8 are detail perspective views of one of the segments ofthe'acute wedge mem ber. A

in the drawing, A represents the center sills or other frame members ofthe car to which the draft riggiiilg,l is applied, A? the front or endsill, B the coupler dravfbar, B1

the draft yoke, C C front and rear follo\vers, l) the draft luarinembcrr; or stop castings on the 'car frapie against which the followers abut, and having front and rear shoulders (l (il and intermediateshoulders (Z2 rl, the latter to limit the movement o" the followers, El1)L the springs, the latter .bef

ing a small spring within the largr one, l" G' coarling Africtionmembers, thgformer lfnel'irably a loiugitudinally niova.ble'sllell oncylinder, and the latter consisting of 'a plorality of segmentalfriction shoes longitudinally movable within the friction shell, and

H l'll together constituting the compoundl wedge or spreader.' device.The sprmg'l, or springs ll El if both are employed, are

interposed between the friction members F G so that the expansion of thespring tends to separate the same; that is to say, the spring bears atone end against the head or end of the friction shell l?, and at itsopposite end against the rear end g of tho friction shoes (in, acircular plate or disk K being interposed togive a smooth bearing'. Thefriction member or shell l*1 is preferably of cylindrical form in crosssection, and has an inner cylindrical friction face f1.

ihe longitudinally movable friction shoes G each have an externalfriction face g1 parallel to and in sliding frictional engagement withthe internal friction face f1 of the friction shell F. The segmentalfriction shoes G are preferably four in number, and each is furnishedwith an acute angle wedge face g1 for engagement with the acute anglewedge faces of the compound wedge or spreader device H H1 so that thefriction shoes may be forced against the friction shell with thenecessary heavy pressure required to produce the desired high cushioningcapacity in the draft rigging.

The compound wedge` or spreader device H H1 comprises a blunt wedgemember H against which the follower acts, and which is consequentlyfree` to recede the instant the pressure of the follower thereagainst isrelieved in who-le or in part by reason of the-blunt r obtuse angle ofits wedge faces L, and a segmental or collapsible acute wedge member H1,the segments of which each have both a blunt o-r obtuse angle wedge face71,1 for engagement with the corresponding wedge faces 7i of the bluntwedge member H, and also a sharper acute angle wedge face h2 forengagement with the corresponding sharp or acute angle wedge face of oneof the segmental friction shoes Gr. Each of the segmental wedge membersH1' is preferably furnished with two acute wedge faces' vf" arranged atan angle to each other in cross section for engagement with two adjacentfriction shoes Gr G. The segmental wedge members H1 thus fit cornerwisebetween and engage each I mental wedge members H1 breaking jointsA aplurality of the friction shoes, the segwith the friction shoes. Theprimary wedge member or buffer block H,- against which-the draw bardirectly acts through the front follower, in like manner has itsadjacent blunt wedge faces h., which intersect at an angle to eachother, fittingrcornerwise between and engaging twoadjlacent segmentalsecondary wedge members H1.

The compound spreader device H H1, comprising an inner or bluntwedgemember H and an outer or secondary wedge member H1 composed of aplurality ,of wedge segments each having in addition to its inner wedgeface L1 two outerdivergent wedge faces h2 h2 acting to separate 'orwedge apart two adjacent friction shoes (i G, multiplies, compounds orincreases the pressure of the friction shoes G against the frictionshell F in a two-fold manner: first, by reason of the sharper angle ofthe outer wedge faces k2 which act jupon the friction shoes G,andsecond, by reason of the fact that each outer wedge vsegment H1 isarranged between two adjacent friction shoes G- G, and thus acts as asecond wedge te force the shoes apart andagainstpthe frich2 h2 of thesecondary wedge segments H1` In practising my invention, I prefer, asshown 1n the drawing, to compound or increase the pressure of thefriction shoes against thefriction shell by use of main and i secondarywedge members, which act in this two-'fold manner, of a wedge upon awedge, and also by the sharper angle of the outer wedge faces of thesecondary wedge member, thus employing both of these prini ciples,instead of only one. The angle of the wedge faces of the blunt wedgemember H4 is such, in relation to the material of which the main andsecondary wedge members are composed, as to entirely prevent sticking ofthe main or primary wedge member in the secondary wedge member, and topermit proper, certain and reliable release, and this is what I mean bya blunt wedge member. And by use of t-he term acute or sharp 1 wedgemembers or wedge faces, I mean a wedge member or wedge face of a sharperangle than that employed for the blunt wedge member.

To hold'all the coacting part-s assembled in relation with each otherand toe'nable the friction shell and all of its contained parts to bebodily removed when required for repair, renewal or replacement, Iprovide a connection M between the blunt or pyramidal wedge member H andthe friction shell F, this connection preferably consisting of a rodfurnished with screw threads m and nuts m1 at each end, Aand formed intwo lexibly"'connected parts m2 m3, each part preferably having anintegral Yloop or link member. The flexible construction ofthisconnecting rodinsures an equalpbearing of the blunt wedge member H.against the four segmental wedge devices H1.

I prefer to make the head or end f of the friction shell or cylinder Fintegral therewith instead of in a separate piece.

as a single solid wedge or spreader device.:

with acute angle wedge faces, acting di rect-ly against the acute anglewedge :faces of the frictionshoes, and thus exerts a very powerfulspreading pressure against such slices and presses them with great forceagainst the friction shell or member' l?, and thus causes a very highland powerful. cushioning action, capable of receiving and properlycushioning the heaviest strains or blows of the draw-bar. 'lhe instant,however, the blow .or strain of the draw-bar is relieved against theblunt member H of the compound wedge, it being entirely free to recede,permits the segn'iental or collapsible acute faced wedge member Il* tocollapse, recede, loosen or its segments to move slightly toward eachothe and thus relieve the previous forcible frictional engagementbetween the friction shoes Cl and friction shell If, thereby permittingand causing the springs, by their stored up energy, to effect a perfect,certain and reliable release movement of the friction de Vices andei'itirely preventing any possibility of the friction devices sticking.

I claim l. In a friction draft rigging, the combination with thedraw-bar, spring and coacting friction inembers, of a compound wedgehaving a blunt wedge member and a collapsible acute wedge member, thelatter acting against the friction members to produce high cushioningcapacity, and the former against the draw-bar to insure a perfect,certain and reliable release action, substantially as specified.

2f In a friction draft rigging, the combination. with a drawzbar, springand coacting friction members, said' spring reacting at one end againstone of said fric tion members and at the other end against the other ofsaid friction members to separate them, of a compound spreader device`comprising a blunt faced wedge member and an acute .faced segmentalwedge mein ber engaging' said blunt wedge member and also ei'igaging thefriction member, substantially as specified.

3. In a friction draft rigging, the combination with a draw-bar, springand folio-iw ers, of a longitudinally movable friction shell, aplurality of segmental friction shoes within said shell, saidspringreacting at one end against the shoes and at the other end againstthe shell to separate them, said. friction shoes having acute wedgefaces, a

.blunt 'wedge member and a plurality of acute wedge members engagingsaid friction J.lines and having blunt wedge faces enganjing the wedgefaces of said blunt wedge, substantially as specified.

Lt. In a friction draft riggingh the combination with a drawbar, springand followers, of a friction shell, a pliirality of segmental frictionshoes within the shell, each having' an inner acute wedge face, aplurality of segmental wedge members, each having a plurality ofexternal acutc wedge faces, acting upon adjacent friction shoes, and aninner blunt wedge face, a pyramidal wedge having blunt wedge facesactingupon said segmental wedge members, said springl .reacting at oneend against the friction shell and at the other end thereof against saidfriction shoes, and means for holding said friction shell and said partswithin it in assembled coacting relation with each other, substantiallyas specified.

5. In a friction draft rigging, the combination with a draw-bar, springand followers, of a friction shell, a plurality of seg mental frictionshoes within the shell, each havimr an inner acute wedoe tace, a ilub 8Jrality of segn'iental wedge members, each having a plurality of externalacute wedge faces, acting upon adjacent friction shoes, and an innerblunt wedge face, a pyramidal wedge having blunt wedgefaces acting uponsaid segmental wedge members, said spring reacting' at ene end againstthe friction shell and at the other end thereof against said frictionshoes and a flexible connecting rod extending between said pyramidalwedge and said friction shell to hold the parts in coacting relationwith each other, substantially as specified.

t3. In a friction draft rigging, the combination with a friction shell,of a spring, four segmental friction shoes within the shell, each havingan inner sharp angle wedge face, four segmental werftge members cachhaving two external sharp wedge faces at right angles to each other, andalso an inner blunt wedge face, said segmental wedge members littingcornerwise within and breaking `joints with said segmental frictionshoes, and a four sided pyramidal wcdve having external blunt wedge.faces engaging the inner blunt wedge faces of said segniental wedgemembers, substantia lly as specified.

7. In a friction draft rigging, the combination with the spring andcoacting friction members, of a compound spreader dcvice comprising aprimary wedge member and a plurality of secondary wedge members actedupon by said primary wedge memhe.' and acting upon the friction members,each of said sia'ondary wedge members force apart two :uljacent frictionmembers, substantially as specified.

In a friction draft rigging, Vhe combi nation with a spring, of afriction shell, a

plurality of friction shoes having inner iitting cornerwise betweeliand. actingl to friction shoes and spring, of'a compound spreader devicehaving a main Wedge and a plurality of secondary Wedge member segments,each fitting kcornerwise and acting transversely upon two adjacentfriction shoes, by the compound action of which thev friction shoes areforced against the friction shell, substantially as specified.

10. The combination with a friction sliell, friction shoes and spring,of a compound spreader device having a main Wedge and a plurality ofsecondary Wedge member segments and coperating to increase the power oftlie main Wedge, said segment-s having angiilar, outer Wedge facesengaging and spreading apart two adJacent friction slices, substantiallyas specified.

11.y In a friction draft gear, the combination With the casing, offriction blocks,A

MARTIN A. OCONNOR.

YVitnesses:

EDiiUND Ancocii, C. J. NASH.

Copies of thisrpatent maybe obtained for five cents each, oy addressing:thc Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C.

